Calling all writers!
Do you need time to write? Do you want to escape to nature? Do you crave some away from the everyday routine to concentrate on your writing. Time out to rest, recharge , reconnect with nature & be inspired. If so time here at The Mill could be exactly what you are looking for!
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Our self directed writers retreats are for you if you are serious about committing time to your writing craft. Get away from the everyday chaos & the daily grind & allow yourself space to get the words down.
Although these are self directed writers retreats - meaning you can write to your own schedule , not prescribed sessions - we are offering, an optional Intention Setting Workshop & Vision/ Action board making workshop. These guided workshops will help you to set out your goals, desires & intentions for your writing & are included free of charge.
Also each week, there is an opportunity to share & read your work aloud - totally optional. We have found this to be a very gentle way for people to get specific feedback from the group or just an opportunity to hear your words aloud, without any pressure. If you prefer to just listen that is also absolutely cool.
There is an optional guided walk to see actual Dinosaur footprints made millions of years ago, & an optional trip to the weekly farmers market in Millau - a truly authentic French experience!
We have a library filled with books to inspire you and assist with your writing journey.
We have a projector and film nights in our Salon room are popular with our guests!
There are writing desks & comfy corners throughout the building as well as a desk in every bedroom.
Maahes the Mill cat is super friendly and loves to cuddle up with our guests.
It is possible to book two back to back weeks to extended stay (there's a minimum room fee for the change over days, these days are not catered for- but you are welcome to use the kitchen /cook for yourself or eat out locally).
The Mill is home to Nathalie a ceramic artist and writer. She is a qualified interior architect, designer, and project manager originally from London. Her native language is English, she speaks passable French. She has renovated The Mill to encourage a place of creativity, connnection & community for artists and writers alike. Alongside these self directed writers retreats she runs a Co-Living for Creatives Residency programme with longer 3 week stays.
A place for you to soak up the atmosphere, feel liberated and inspired to get the words on the page. We are surrounded by beautiful hiking and walking trails for you to explore and spend time connecting back to nature.
Evening dinners around the table (by the log burner in winter/ outdoors by the river in the summer) is where the magic really happens with your fellow writers. Guests share resources, book recommendations, their own inspirations & techniques that help them work, often talking deep into the night! Brisk walks along the river, up into the hills or a short stroll around our local medieval village, all offer opportunities to contemplate your writing work & as many well known writers report, this is often when ideas or solutions to certain 'stuckness' drop in. The Salon & Library rooms offer several desks, cosy chairs and daybeds to snuggle down for the afternoon or morning and get the words down.
River swims & canal swims all year round for the brave! We have a supply of river shoes and river side towels.
There are plenty of outdoor seating spots, even during the winter months there are often blue sky days where it's warm enough to sit outside with a cuppa and write.
Come and join us in The Mill to do 'The Work' in a relaxed beautiful setting alongside fellow writers, unplugging from your daily working life.
With local walks, space to do your own yoga or meditation practice (yoga mats provided) and delicious home cooked Mediterranean style fresh healthy food - with locally sourced products whenever possible. This retreat will quiet your mind, allow inspiration to flow in, lift your spirits, have you feeling nurtured & content, allowing you clear headspace for some fulfilling writing sessions.
We encourage our guests to spend as much time away from their phones as possible and connect with nature instead, as moments of rest & emptiness really allow space to open up and ideas to drop in. It's where the magic happens!
Please do get in touch if you have any questions
The Mill is a treasure trove of glorious details with reading nooks, comfy chairs, and cosy day beds, as well as, writing desks in the communal spaces - the Salon & the Library room . Each bedroom has a comfortable chair & writing desk and wall space for your post it notes. We also have our extremely sociable cat who loves to snuggle down while you work or read a book,
Come and join us in The Mill to do 'The Work' in a relaxed beautiful setting alongside fellow writers. Unplugging from your daily working life.
There will be daily self-serve buffet-style breakfasts, daily serve yourself lunches, and 5 of your evening meals.are also included
There are a number of great restaurants and cafes near us for dining off-site, or you can use the communal kitchen to cook up a feast.
Please note, numbers are usually between 3-6 people, however it is not possible to guarantee the number of guests attending each retreat.
Please scroll down for T&Cs
Booking
Miller’s Nook
A single bed and shared shower room (shower shared with one other guest) and a separate WC on the second floor of the Mill.
Our cabin style Nook rooms are not the largest but super cute with authentic & very popular with guests.
Mill wheels and original detailing. Insulated and timber paneling ensures they are cooler in the summer and warmer in the colder months.
As these rooms are in the heart of the building they have internal, not external windows.
Don't tell the other guests but these rooms have the best WC in the building 😊🤭!
Mezzanine Nook
A vintage French sleigh bed and upper bed deck If you are tall this may not be the best bed for you, you have the option to sleep at the higher level, up a metal bed deck ladder.. or choose one of the other rooms.
French people 100 years ago were not very long!
This room shares the shower room with one other guest and a separate WC all on the second floor of the Mill.
Our cabin-style Nook rooms are not the largest but super cute with authentic Mill wheels and original detailing, they are loved by all our guests.
Insulated and timber paneling ensures they are cooler in the summer and warmer in the colder months.
As these rooms are in the heart of the building they have internal, not external windows.
Don't tell the other guests but these rooms have the best WC in the building 😊🤭
Hill View Room
Our bright and airy Hill view room on the first floor. has a calm fresh feel with views to the hills of the Larzac Plateau.
You will be sleeping in a French Vintage Corbel bed and guaranteed a good night's sleep!
There is a large oak wardrobe in this room and a desk by the window.
The shower room and WC is adjacent to your room.
The shower is shared with one other guest the Garden view room on the ground floor. However, they have their own WC.
Riverside View Room
Our River View Room is situated on the first floor. It has a double bed and its own private ensuite.
The river passes below the window.
This room has a small desk directly under the window, allowing you a beautiful leafy riverbank view every time you look up from your writing. As well as the soothing sounds of the river as your background soundtrack!
A white room with hints of pale pink deco. It has been described as Vintage England Cottage-style vibes! With the added bonus of a contemporary black & white shower room.
Canal View Apartment
Our modern open-plan self-contained apartment on the second floor is very bright and airy.
With a Juliett balcony affording views of the Mill Canal and the weir at the end of the property.
The apartment has contemporary loft-style vibes with bright contemporary artwork on the wall.
This self-contained space has a double bed, with a curtain rather than a door, and a single bed in the living area.
You have the added benefit of your own lounge/ chillout space and a large table. Also, your own kitchenette if you want to make your own early-morning tea of coffee. As well as your own private shower room.
Garden Room
This room has become a regular favorite with returning guests!
Situated on the Ground floor with use of the adjacent WC.
The shower room is shared with one other guest and is situated on the 1st Floor.
This room has been transformed from an old machine room into the most dare I say, romantic, bohemian feels.
With a polished concrete floor, rattan rugs vintage French Corbel bed antique lace curtains, and full-height opening windows that open onto the riverbank a few feet below the window.
It is absolutely heavenly to sleep in this room with the windows open all night, and the sounds of the river. the room has a desk next to the window, storage, and hanging space.
What’s Not Included:
Your travel to and from the Mill
Your travel / holiday insurance is not included. Please ensure you take out your own insurance policy
Airport Transfers - We do offer a pick service from Beziers or Montpellier or Rodez at 80 Euro per person
How To Get Here
Our Address is:
Le Moulin, ZA Vergonhac, 7 Route de Linas, Saint Georges de Luzençon, 12100, Aveyron, France
Contact Details:
Email: nathalie@themillfrance.com
UK Mobile: +44 (0)775 631 5823 (WhatsApp)
FR Mobile: +33 (0)6 30 04 62 87
Our nearest town is Millau - A 10 minute drive away.
There are trains and buses from Rodez, Montpellier and Beziers.
If you are driving from the UK please check the map, we are a long way down! We advise you break your journey en route if coming via Dover/ Calais.
There is the option of an overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St.Malo which makes the drive in France approx 6 hrs. from St.Malo to The Mill France.
We encourage car sharing with other guests on retreats & residencies and are happy to connect guests via WhatsApp to make this possible.
The operator Flixbus offers a night bus from Paris to MIllau
Our nearest airports are Rodez, Montpellier and Beziers.
If you are coming from the USA it is possible to fly into Barcelona & from there get a train to Beziers where you can either join the airport pick up at 80 euro per person or get the connecting train from Beziers to our village where we will meet you. ( We are closer to Barcelona than we are to Paris and flights into Barcelona from USA are often cheaper than flights to Paris)
We offer an airport pick from Beziers or Montpellier or Rodez at 80 Euro per person
Pick up from Millau or Saint Georges train/ bus station is free of charge
T&Cs:
We require payment in full to secure your booking (if you need to split your payment and pay in 2 parts let us know.
100% refundable minus 50€ admin fee: 90+ days before arrival date
75% refundable: 89 - 60 days prior to arrival date
50% refundable: 59 - 31 days prior to arrival date
0% refundable: 30 - 0 days days prior to arrival date. Note: If we are able to fill your spot at short notice you will be fully refunded (minus 150€ admin fee). You may also transfer your place to a friend/ family member.